Iran’s FM defends missile programme, seeks European support

BEIRUT: Iran´s foreign minister on Monday defended its ballistic missile programme and urged European countries not to be influenced by US President Donald Trump´s confrontational policy towards Tehran.

In an op-ed article in the New York Times, Zarif also urged European powers to help preserve the landmark 2015 deal under which Iran curbed its disputed nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of a number of international sanctions.

In October Trump struck a blow against the deal, approved by his predecessor Barack Obama, by refusing to certify that Iran is complying with the terms of the deal despite findings to the contrary by UN nuclear inspectors.

Trump has also called Iran an "economically depleted rogue state" that exports violence. "Europe should not pander to Washington's determination to shift focus to yet another unnecessary crisis, whether it be Iran's defensive missile programme or our influence in the Middle East," Zarif wrote.